maggsmaggs

Re-emphasizes to me the Sox biggest organization need is pitching. We have zero top-of-the-rotation arms. Beck is a back-of-the-rotation arm. Danish is far away from helping. And that's about it in terms of likely ML starters in the organization. Can't miss on this draft pick.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Apr 17, 2014 -> 06:56 PM) 16k's for Hoffman through 8. Trainer and manager came out in the 7th, but Hoffman waved them away before they got to the mound. Hoffman can really repeat his delivery. Broadcast says KW is there. Certainly the kind of night that shows why Hoffman was considered a possible 1-1 before the season started. Middle Tenn is not exactly a powerhouse (though Dewon Brazelton pitched there), but it is nice to see that kind of domination.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Apr 16, 2014 -> 11:04 AM) Really amazing is, he was drafted as a shortstop. They moved him off to 3B, which should be somewhat easier overall, and he's still struggling this badly. Easier overall, but it really takes work to get used to the ball getting to you much quicker at third than anywhere else on the field.

No but he should net a decent prospect or two at the deadline. That is a better outcome then we could've hoped for at the start of the season.

QUOTE (southside hitman @ Apr 15, 2014 -> 11:09 AM) I would be quite surprised if Aiken and Kolek go 1 and 2. It would be the first time ever a HS pitcher went 1-1 correct? Say Aiken/Rondon go 1-2, it will be fascinating seeing Sox decide between Kolek/Hoffman/Beede. Yankees took Brien Taylor number one overall in 1991. Did not work out well.

QUOTE (StRoostifer @ Apr 14, 2014 -> 01:55 PM) You're not kidding. I've tried multiple searches to find stats on their (Kolek, Aiken) latest outings and came up empty. Even looked at Kolek's HS web site and they don't post stats for their players. Hell, they don't even have a schedule up on their site. Honestly the best place to look is Twitter. Just type in the player's names and usually you have people supplying the statistics. Kolek's Last Start Brady Aiken's Last Start

QUOTE (Y2JImmy0 @ Apr 14, 2014 -> 01:41 PM) Honestly, I think the Cubs would probably do it. Maybe the Mets. You can bet that Theo will go over their bonus pool by less 5% if he believes the player is worth it.

I think it is asinine to label Hawkins's ceiling as a extra. You can be critical all you want about his floor, in that he has a long way to go to ever become a major-league regular with all these contact issues. But if he figures it all out, his ceiling is tremendous, not that of an extra

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Apr 12, 2014 -> 02:59 PM) The White Sox have to be the worst team in the AL at bunting...SIGH. Giving up outs sucks, so maybe it will force Robin to stop bunting.

QUOTE (fathom @ Apr 12, 2014 -> 02:51 PM) Nieto True, but ain't no way he is going down. At least Flowers is playing well, so you can hide Nieto more than probably thought at the beginning of the year. QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Apr 12, 2014 -> 02:53 PM) There's no way they go to Axelrod over Rienzo or Surkamp. I don't care who it is, I can't stand seeing Paulino's terrible command every outing.

Seeing a lot of deadweight on this club: Paulino, Garcia, half of the bullpen. At least Axelrod throws strikes, much rather see his 5.00 ERA than Paulino's walk-a-thon.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Apr 10, 2014 -> 04:47 PM) The need for an impact bat just got greater. If it came down to Rodon, a HS pitcher, or Jackson, I could see the Sox taking Jackson now. Pitching might be a bigger need than hitting even with Garcia's injury. We have two sure-fire guys in Sale/Quintana. Danks is still an unknown if he can become a solid pitcher again (though it looks promising), Paulino won't be here passed this year, Johnson is still unproven and behind him, we do not have any sure fire ML starters. I would argue impact pitching is still a bigger need than hitting.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Apr 10, 2014 -> 01:18 PM) I'm with you, but if they take Hoffman over Rodon if Rodon is still on the board, assuming everyone is healthy, I think is being silly. FWIW, Hahn said a couple weeks ago Rodon is the best college arm in the draft. I'm not too worried about not being able to spend an extra $500k on a 3rd round pick if it means the Sox get the best college arm in the draft. Go cheap on the second rounder if you need some cash for the later rounds. As well, the projected WAR goes down dramatically for players drafted after the first round (actually goes down a ton in just the first round). If you can take the guy you think is the best player in the entire draft at number 3, you should just take him.

QUOTE (fathom @ Apr 10, 2014 -> 11:21 AM) Davidson striking out a ton so far this season. Good news is he seems to be playing solid defense. Unfortunately that is going to be part of his game. But if he can still put up a .800-plus OPS at 3B with solid defense, that is a very valuable player. Like everyone in the Sox system, he needs to be walking more if he is going to strikeout that often.

QUOTE (ChiSox_Sonix @ Apr 9, 2014 -> 10:33 AM) It's 5/9 And 3 of them are doubles so there's a good chance he squared at least a couple of them up I am not doubting that when Hawkins hits it, he hits hard. Power has never been an issue and will never be an issue. It's contact rate. He is still striking out 33% of his plate appearances and not taking walks.

Hawkins BABIP is absurd currently. He has got to lower the Ks if he wants to be an impact Major Leaguer. I don't care how many bombs he hits, guys who K a ton in the minors have rough times in the majors.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Apr 8, 2014 -> 03:49 PM) I don't think they've stated they plan on going after pitching, but that the pitching depth is very good and there are good arms. They likely have their mind made up, and it is likely to be a pitcher, but they could certainly see something new in a hitter in the next few weeks that turns their attention to something like that (or maybe one of those top hitters wants to sign for $500k, which incentivizes the Sox into taking him to save money elsewhere). Lots of time for things to change still. I think Laumann said the top five players on their board were pitchers. If so, they better draft pitching (otherwise we aren't taking BPA).

QUOTE (Chilihead90 @ Apr 7, 2014 -> 06:03 PM) Beckham + De Aza somewhere for a solid reliever would be nice. That is seriously undervaluing De Aza alone, not even including Beckham. You don't trade for relievers generally. I would much rather trade for prospects.

QUOTE (Y2JImmy0 @ Apr 6, 2014 -> 09:33 AM) You also lose the ability to spend the pick value of that 1st rounder though which is something like $6 million. Is that right? Then, nevermind, that would be a horrible idea.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Apr 5, 2014 -> 09:37 PM) It's even more unconscionable to not be able to sign Rodon, who might already have peaked as a pitching prospect six months ago (see Miller, Andruw) and have the rebuild set back by another year. Here is an interesting thought. What if next year's draft is better than this year? Maybe you take Rodon, don't sign him and "blame" Boras and next year, you get the 4th pick in addition to the one we earn from this year. I could see that as a possibility if the draft class were just bad, which does not seem the case this year.

Haha, I couldn't help but laugh at this quote: Then, why did the Sox send him to High-A right away? I mean, if they want a kid to slow down, then go slow with his placement. Hawkins was a raw 18-year-old with oozing talent, but a flawed swing and a lot to learn. He should have been in Low-A last year. The quote just seems so misguided, like let's blame the kid when the organization was equally fast-tracking him.

QUOTE (Ozzie Ball @ Apr 3, 2014 -> 11:01 PM) Would prefer Eaton-Semien-Abreu personally, though if both develop as hoped it will be a nice problem to have. Yeah, Eaton-Semien are better OBP players right now, so they should definitely be 1-2 if they continue to develop. Micah potentially could be a dynamic #7-8-9 hitter. Perhaps, most importantly, he will need to find a position where he can handle defensively. Might end up in LF.

QUOTE (DirtySox @ Apr 3, 2014 -> 12:52 PM) This very much reiterates what Bucket has been trumpeting. I still like Hoffman personally. Sox also might steer away from a Boras guy because they won't be able to sign one of his clients to a Sale- or Quintana-like deal. Boras is a guy that will play the contract out year by year, so that his client can get to FA ASAP.

QUOTE (Joshua Strong @ Apr 3, 2014 -> 09:16 AM) I imagine so too, in order to avoid the penalties. Plus info regarding the top players should be coming out soon, the White Sox have been linked to Huascar Ynoa, who is widely considered to be the best pitching prospect available in this year's crop. And it is widely believed that the Milwaukee Brewers have reached an agreement with Gilbert Lara for $3.4 million (Which is over their spending allotment), while other teams are still in pursuit for his services. It is also rumored that the Yankees already have 6 deals in place. All I have seen is one or two tweets saying the Sox were at an event of his. Is there more than that?